Timeline of History

French philosopher and historian of religion Ernest Renan is born. Although he will train for the priesthood, Ernest Renan finds that he can't go through with his ordination and will instead focus on the scholarly study of ancient Semitic texts.

Over the course of his studies and research Ernest Renan will publish a book on the life of Jesus, seeking to eliminate the later additions made by disciples and believers in the hope of catpuring the "real" historical Jesus as he actually lived. This makes Renan famous (or infamous, depending upon one's point of view) and essentially begins an entire scholarly and popular industry centered around "recapturing" the "original" Jesus.